December 13, 2020

Worldbuilders Warfare!

December 13, 2020/ Marsha Masseau

What happens when you put two passionate Worldbuilding Bloggers, with a difference of opinion, in a Zoom room?

WARFARE! Ashley and Marsha go head-to-head in a casualty heavy battle over who’s world is champion. It’s war — writer to writer style. The judgements mount, the words get aggressive.

Two Worlds — Two Worldbuilders — One Champion!

Who will it be?

AVATAR: The Last Airbender — versus — BATMAN: The Animated Series

AVATAR: The Last Airbender — defended by Ashley!

Ever since Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) came to Netflix, new fans have just begun to see the incredible storytelling and worldbuilding that it has. Avatar is much better than Batman: The Animated Series – it’s not even close to Avatar’s level!

Long ago, the four nations lived together peacefully. They each have their own unique culture, history, and government. The cultures of the four nations: The Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads are based on real cultures – Inuit, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan.

In the Avatar’s world, benders are able to bend the four elements: water, earth, fire, and air! Benders also use their skills in their careers or in other services.

But then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.

Batman only has to contend with Gotham's villains, which is nothing compared to the Hundred Year War that has thrown the Avatar's world into chaos.

While the Northern Water Tribe is still strong, the Southern Water Tribe has had its unique way of life shattered by the Fire Nation.

photo credit: avatar wiki

Some places still preserve their culture and traditions. The capital of the Earth Kingdom, Ba Sing Se, welcomes refugees every day. It has a gigantic wall that surrounds the entire city, and inner walls to keep order.

As the Avatar attempts to master all four elements to save the world, we, the viewers, are shown different locations, allowing us to see how vast and beautiful the world is.

Getting to see how the war affects the benders and non-benders of each nation, and how they deal with it, is interesting!

ATLA keeps my attention unlike Batman: The Animated Series!

Shows with such great worldbuilding happen so rarely. Avatar: The Last Airbender does such a fine job of exploring a complicated world. It interests new and old fans, including me – it's a gem that can't be matched!

BATMAN: The Animated Series — defended by Marsha!

I saw Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix. Cute show! It will never compare to Batman: The Animated Series — not in a million years.

Batman’s world is huge. Gotham is in New Jersey with a population of about 10 million, just a city — on the surface. But underneath it lives a subculture of super-villains. It’s the energy that makes this world massive.

The cinematic quality of Batman: The Animated Series (B:TAS) amplifies every aspect of the worldbuilding experience. It virtually draws us into the action, where we’re front-row-center when the bombs go off.

Skyscrapers of imposing heights, back alleys, and a sewer system crawling with criminals stretch the boundaries upwards and downwards. The casts of villains have their own distinct territories. Their personalized bags of criminal tricks lend a palpable bleakness and begs for a superhero to restore balance to Gotham.

The animated series may be the singular example of Gotham City becoming a character — a living, breathing dystopian city of grit and darkness. I prefer the dark aesthetic of B:TAS over the light, airy utopia of Avatar: The Last Airbender. It’s a good show, but I can live without it.

I can’t live without Batman. Figuratively speaking, of course — I just don’t want to! B:TAS has exceptional worldbuilding, and part of that is phenomenal artwork.

The style marriage of Film Noir and Art Deco, what producer Bruce Timm coined “Dark Deco,” is an immense unifying element. The world is built on shadows and the grim things going on in them.

Even with its grand rooms and library, Wayne Manor has the same dark undertones as the streets of Gotham. The mystifying underground Batcave overflows with futuristic technology.

Arkham Asylum, seen best in the episode “Lock-Up” shows the expansive facility for the criminally insane with an even darker twist.

Worldbuilding is more than streets and structures. It lives in the vibe going on around characters and storylines. The vibe of Batman: The Animated Series — is enduring.

What do you think, readers — is there a clear champion?

Ashley Lalonde

Ashley Lalonde is a student at Algonquin College. In her spare time, she enjoys watching Asian dramas, playing video games, and writing her own fanfiction and original stories.

Marsha Masseau

I’m Marsha, an avid virtual-world-traveller! Digging into the fictional worlds – in books, plays and films – of other writers has become a passion. To my mind, every story fits a broader context, and I want to understand what makes them work or not.

December 10, 2020

Veronica Roth’s Divergent: Bad Worldbuilding

December 10, 2020/ ncln .

Many a teenager were swept up by Veronica Roth’s Divergent series, having finished The Hunger Games and looking for something of a similar tone. Eerily similar, some might observe – a diminutive but badass teenage girl in a dystopian future with a complicated love interest fighting for a better world. Except Roth made a crucial mistake that many authors make in their worldbuilding: assuming that all readers would be too lazy to actually figure out whether things would work or not. Most readers are generally too lazy to investigate potential worldbuilding slip-ups, but some of the ones featured in the Divergent series are distractingly obvious:

1. The entire plot revolves around a society that segregates itself into different factions, each with an individual trait: selflessness, honesty, intelligence, peace, and bravery. But the characters in the book clearly exhibit many of these traits, so the entire foundation of being “divergent” – i.e., not fitting into just one category, falls apart. Maybe the system is based on what people value the most – but then the aptitude test wouldn’t work. Not to mention, we discover in the last book that the whole thing is designed by the government to correct people’s damaged genes. But genetically damaged people don’t make non-damaged people; that’s not how reproduction works. Also, if the whole point was to create Divergents, why does the government let them be killed?

2. “Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation has fulfilled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided us with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and researchers; Amity has given us understanding counselors and caretakers; and Dauntless provides us with protection from threats both within and without.”

Okay, that’s great, but where do low-skilled labourers fit in then? Who become the janitors, the sanitation workers, the factory workers – you know, people essential to a functioning society? Who makes everyone’s everyday wares, clothes and cans and toilet paper? The Factionless would have been a perfect option, but instead they’re just used as a poor representation of homelessness.

3. Geographically, there’s a lot to unpack. The area in which the series takes place is supposed to be a fenced-in post-apocalyptic Chicago, with Amity growing their food beyond the fence. Except their location is vague at best. Also, the Dauntless are supposed to patrol the fence – but there’s not nearly enough Dauntless to cover that much ground. Here is a handy detailed map of the proposed area; see if you can find anything out of place.

What really grinds my gears is Roth insisting that Lake Michigan – that deep, enormous body of water – has turned into a marsh. The process for large bodies of water to acquire enough sediment to become marshes takes millions of years. Not to mention, this would massively affect the climate of the region. There would be colder winters, hotter summers, and less precipitation, which makes the whole farming-for-the-entire-city thing increasing unlikely.

Those are just some of the particularly egregious worldbuilding screw-ups in Divergent. A passionless attempt, I see it as The Hunger Games’ younger, lazier distant relative; nothing more than a cheap knockoff looking to profit from the trend.

Nicoline A.

I’m a 22 y.o. Mess in the Professional Writing program. I love video games, half-assed home exercise, and going for walks. Different universes have always been an escape for me, but what is it about a fictional world that submerges you so completely?

December 05, 2020

Video might have killed the radio star — but they’re making a comeback — in Podcasts!

December 05, 2020/ Marsha Masseau

Before I crank up the volume on the awesomeness of radio plays, I have to dial through some nostalgia. Like, get the needle on why I like them! It’s weird, but it’s because of my dad.

We used to listen to CBC Radio on the drive home Friday nights when he picked me up from work. It was always dark. When we landed in the driveway close to midnight, we just sat there and listened until the end. Someone always died.

It still fascinates me how much audio can accomplish. Voice actors do a lot with pace and tone, but directors and writers create a virtual world we can imagine with our eyes closed. Audiobooks don’t compare. Sound effects popping out of the darkness, shrieking screams, gasping and sobbing — leaps into the mind.

The king of horror says radio is a great medium for terror!

Stephen King admits he loves radio dramas. In his book Danse Macabre where he dives into all things horror — he writes, “radio’s greatest strength […] is the mind’s innate obedience, its willingness to try to see whatever someone suggest it see, no matter how absurd.”

Well, my mind is susceptible to suggestion, like I see the ad I buy the chips — that susceptible. So, when I listen to radio dramas and hear — crreeeak — I think the worst.

Pet Sematary was adapted as a full cast dramatization for radio by the BBC in 97. The opening scene is packed with chaos — things get eerie when the family takes a walk out back and finds the graves.

Secret Window, Secret Garden was also made into a radio drama by the BBC in the late 90s. It gets tense at Tashmore Lake when Mort and the “Man in the black hat” argue over who wrote the damn story first. — Sounds of shuffling feet on the dirt, commotion, raised voices — this is not going to end well for Shooter if that’s his real name.

Stephen King novels adapted for radio!

Pet Sematary — pet comes back to life

Secret Window, Secret Garden — writer goes insane

Find more on YouTube

Try these radio plays!

Midnight Cab — Toronto cabbie seems to attract crime

Suspense Radio Drama — a new take on classic suspense

Lux Radio Theater — adapted Broadway plays

CBS Radio Mystery Theater — mysteries in a nutshell

Stations don’t broadcast radio drama’s as regular features anymore, but they’re still around.

Podcast dramas are the new radio plays. Search for radio drama or radio play in your podcast app. A list will pop up offering everything from vintage classics to contemporary skits. One that stands out for me is Suspense Radio Drama. It’s a revival of classic suspense with all new plays by Hollywood actors! They’re a Young Entertainer Awards winner and a Peabody Webby Voice Arts Awards finalist — How cool is that?

In their first episode, “Cool Air” a young writer befriends an elderly man in the apartment above. The listener is in the old brownstone building with the heroine as she labours up the stairs wheezing with asthma. When she visits the not long for this world ageing neighbour, we feel the chill in the air as the air conditioner — clicks — on — clicks — off. Subtle. Effective.

Midnight Cab, by James Nichol, is probably my favourite series dramatized for radio. It’s set in Toronto and follows Walker Devereaux, an aspiring author from Thunder Bay.

He drives around the city, cabbing some unsettling fares. Episodes like “The Face in the Window,” set the stage for a cozy mystery drama.

The series is good at creating a mental image of the surroundings — we’re in a cab with Walker. We’re creeping into an abandoned building with Walker. We’re always with Walker! Much of the communication happens over a dispatch radio … static … chhh “Walker, are you there?” click.

That’s Krista on dispatch. She works the nightshift, and she’s dating Walker — it’s complicated.

Everything about this show is layered. The bonus of a series is how it builds on a longer storyline and how it has room to show more of the landscape. We’ve been all over Toronto, on rainy nights, we’ve been to rural outskirts, and we’ve gotten into some scrapes. We’ve even been to Thunder Bay and back with this show. It feels like we’re in the front seat with Walker — and it’s the best seat in the house!

Confession time

I’m going to share a secret with you — I want to write a radio play. It’s a bold admission, considering the genre is a bit of a lost art. Maybe it’s my urge to cheer for the underdog, or perhaps, like Emma, from Fond Memories, I like obsolete technology.

Hey constant reader! What’s your dial set to?

Marsha Masseau

December 02, 2020

How the World of How To Train Your Dragon Has Changed

December 02, 2020/ Ashley Lalonde

Some movies have epic worldbuilding. Others have a better plot but hardly any world development. I have come across movies that have both, but one particular trilogy has built a fascinating world and shows how it has changed as the series progressed.

The How to Train Your Dragon trilogy is set in a fictional Viking world where dragons and Vikings fight with each other. After a young Viking named Hiccup meets and trains a Night Fury named Toothless, they team up to prove that dragons and Vikings can coexist.

As a long-time fan of the series, I've always been excited to see how much the world of HTTYD has changed since the last movie. As the season’s change, so does the world - let’s journey there to find out how it has changed!

Life on Berk: Before and After Dragons Moved In

"This is Berk. It's twelve days North of hopeless, and a few degrees South of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the Meridian of Misery.” - Hiccup, How To Train Your Dragon

The Isle of Berk, also known as Berk, is a small island located in the Barbaric Archipelago and has been inhabited by the Hairy Hooligan Tribe for seven generations. It's got a lot of dense woods, waterfalls, streams, and cliffs.

In the first movie, the main character Hiccup says that “it snows nine months of the year and hails the other three," which means that Berk suffers from perpetual winter most of the year. While the way Hiccup describes the weather is not directly seen, we can assume that heavy storms and snowfall hit the Isle of Berk very hard.

The island may be old, but the architecture is relatively new and well built. The image above shows the village of the Hairy Hooligan tribe that suffers from constant dragon attacks.

Because of the dragon fire, the Vikings living there have to repair their homes and buildings.

Through the acts of Hiccup and the other Dragon riders in HTTYD1, Berk became a place where dragons and Vikings could coexist.

When the dragons came to live in Berk, structures were constructed to meet their needs. These structures, such as the Dragon Stables, which was designed to house the numerous dragons on Berk, are a significant example of how Berk changed after the events of the first movie.

It seems like dragons have a nice home on Berk. There are feeding stations, a dragon wash, and even more amenities.

There's also dragon racing! Wow!

Life for Vikings and dragons on Berk is definitely better, with all the facilities that dragons can enjoy, and plenty of Vikings caring for and training them.

Dragon Utopia and the Hidden World

Berk has improved a lot over the series, becoming more than a home for dragons and Vikings - by the third movie, it has become a Dragon Utopia!

Hiccup has fulfilled his great dream of creating a happy home where dragons can live peacefully. He and the riders also bring new dragons to the island.

The more dragons who come to Berk, the more overcrowded it gets. It's not necessarily the problem of dragons living there. It's the problem of how big some of them are and how much space they take up.

Having so many dragons on a small island could pose a problem, so to solve it the series introduces the Hidden World.

It's a gateway to the world of dragons, where they all come from and live in secret from the outside world. Apparently, it's located at the edge of the earth, a place with coral and bright, shiny crystals hanging from massive cave ceilings. It is really a beautiful place for dragons to live in and raise their families there.

We’ve travelled so far, we've seen so much. Will you return to the world of HTTYD again someday?

Seeing the world of How to Train Your Dragon changing as the series progressed showed me how my world can change over time, and how change can affect the people living there. I think it’s a very cool tip to have, readers!

Watch the movies if you're interested in finding out more about the worldbuilding. If you want to know about the books that inspired them check out author Cressida Cowell's website!

Ashley Lalonde

Ashley Lalonde is a student at Algonquin College. In her spare time, she enjoys watching Asian dramas, playing video games, and writing her own fanfiction and original stories.

November 29, 2020

3 Concepts For Persona 5 Palaces

November 29, 2020/ Hunter Rogers-Millson

Persona 5 is filled with many amazing features. The cast of characters are interesting and relatable, the soundtrack is phenomenal, and the world-building is pleasantly unique. I could write dozens of blogs about all the things I love about Persona, but today I’m going to focus on the palaces, or more specifically, some possible ideas for new palaces.

The game tackles the concept of palaces really well already, I have little to no complaints about that, but I still think there are some other ideas Atlus could have used or maybe can use down the line. Without further ado, here are my best ideas for new palaces in Persona 5.

Prison

A prison break would be an exciting adventure for the phantom thieves to embark on. It could start outside of the prison walls, and you would have to avoid search lights and guards in order to get inside the building. Once inside the building, you would have to traverse the various parts of the prison like the courtyard, cells, cafeteria, and warden’s office.

The palace ruler would be the warden, and the treasure could be something dear to him in his office like the deed to the prison. I could even go a little more abstract with it and say the treasure is a prisoner that you would need to break out.

As for the real world, the palace ruler could just be an average citizen who has blackmail on a lot of people. These people would be thought of as his prisoners. Honestly, this is my personal favourite idea, and I would at least like to see something similar to it in a future installment of the franchise.

Skyscraper

Imagine a building so high you can barely see the top of it. Now imagine getting to explore every floor of that building! A skyscraper palace set in the middle of a densely populated city would be awesome. Persona 5’s third palace did something kind of similar to this, but I feel like it didn’t go far enough.

The layout of this palace is where its diversity would really shine. Instead of having a few large areas to explore, this palace would have multiple smaller areas separated by floors. Each floor could be completely different from each other, allowing Atlus to really flex their creativity.

In terms of the palace ruler, I don’t think it really matters. He or she could be similar to the fifth palace ruler in Persona 5 or could just be a somewhat well-off person who thinks too highly of themselves.

Jungle

This palace idea is definitely the most unique, and that’s why I think it’s a good one. Having every palace be a building makes sense, but I think that breaking away from this mold would have been an interesting break if it was somewhere in the middle of the game’s story.

The palace would consist mostly of trees, and the shadows could be various animals. At the heart of the jungle would be a temple where the treasure is located, Indiana Jones style. With Persona 5 Royal’s new grappling hook mechanic, traversing through the jungle landscape would be a blast.

Like the previous example, I don’t really think the palace ruler is too important on this one. Maybe he or she could be a person who views the city and modern life like a chaotic jungle. I’m sure everyone can relate to that to a certain degree.

Those were some of my ideas for possible palaces Atlus could have used or could use in the future for Persona 5. If you are interested in reading about more ideas on this topic, there was a Reddit post about it you can find here.

Hunter Rogers-Millson

My name is Hunter Rogers-Millson. I am a Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. My interests include video games, anime, and classic rock and roll. I aim to one day write and publish my own comic book.

November 25, 2020

It’s getting hot in here – You might want to peel off some layers!

November 25, 2020/ Marsha Masseau

My aunt G gave me a Karen Marie Moning (KMM) paperback for my birthday a while ago. I haven’t properly thanked her for the umm, addiction. Aunt G is only eight years older than me. She has been my role model for defiant habits like dying my hair, smoking pot and getting tattoos but mostly for being kickass. I guess you could say I’m the Danny to her MacKayla.

The cover of Beyond the Highland Mist, KMM’s first novel in the Highlander series, ought to have clued me in that aunt G was passing on a kind of substance. I smoked through the whole series like a flash fire. I’m not sure I paused long enough to crease the spines!

The blaze got to me on a deeper level in the Fever series.

I had to plan rest breaks to make it through. I have an appreciation for hot people, and this series is full of them. I’m also a dreamer, and the WORLDBUILDING begged me to slow down, to notice. The virtual world morphed with every page I turned.

The New York Times Book Review called KMM’s worldbuilding “extensive” and “inspired.” I couldn’t have said it better! In an earlier post, My TOP 5 all-time favourite worlds, I stated that I wouldn’t want to BE literally in this Fever world, but I recant that. Maybe the months of social distancing for the coronavirus have made me crave some otherworldly adventure. It’s been a long pandemic. I’d pay to “sift” into High Voltage right about now.

photo credit: facebook.com/KarenMarieMoningfan

The world of the Fever series is like recurring dreams I’ve had. It’s uncanny. Holes show up in the ground out of nowhere, rooms relocate themselves, and I don’t quite know where I am. Are these universal human nightmares? I’m beginning to think they are.

As a reader, I felt as disoriented and anxious as the protagonist, MacKayla Lane, seemed to be. Despite continual shifts to the physical world, it all held together convincingly. I can’t help wondering if KMM knew what she was building when she jotted her first notes.

Building blocks from the Highlander series exist in the Fever series, although the action moved from Scotland to Ireland. The MacKeltar clan, the compact between races, the Celtic mythology, the Druids, the Fairy, the POWER all carried forward – and then some.

Sex is a huge part of this world, but so is survival. Fighting for life is primal, and this series is on fire with primal energy!

One place that’s dripping with heat is Chester’s Nightclub. I could dance until I died at that club. Between you and me, I would totally go snooping around between songs. I want to know what’s happening on all those other levels? What’s going on in the private rooms? And what mysteries Barrons and Ryodan are hiding?

Of course, if I survived a night at Chester’s, I would head straight for Barrons Books & Baubles in the morning. I don’t move as fast as Dani “Mega” O’Malley, but I wouldn’t waste a minute before checking out every notable location in this series. I would be so dead. Curiosity killed the cat, and I would be a dead cat.

I like how Karen Marie Moning built worlds inside many of the characters. During the series, MacKayla’s insides expand downwards to a dark lake, and Dany goes to a place in her head that makes her move “mega” fast. Each book in KMM’s series is like stepping into a mirror in the Hall of All Days - worlds of their own yet somehow connected.

I will read this series again and again. I like getting close to the fire!

Check out the cool places in the Fever series!

Kingdom of Shadow and Light – coming 23 February 2021

Hey, KMM fans! Are you as psyched as I am for the next installment?

Marsha Masseau

November 23, 2020

Dishonored's Balance Between Magic and Politics

November 23, 2020/ Hunter Rogers-Millson

Dishonored is a first-person stealth game created by Arkane studios that combines sneaking, gadgets, a little bit of magic, and a ton of politics.

In 2012, Dishonored shook the gaming world to its core by presenting gameplay with intricate level design and unique stealth/combat mechanics.

However, Dishonored’s gameplay isn’t its only aspect that’s worth talking about. The plot and the world-building are so artfully done that I can’t praise it enough.

I will be talking about a few events that take place at the very beginning of the game. If you want a completely fresh experience of the game, you can buy and play it Here.

The player travels across the city of Dunwall through the eyes of Corvo Attono, the head bodyguard for Dunwall’s empress, who is framed for the assassination of the empress. The true assassins who were responsible possess strange supernatural abilities that overwhelmed Corvo.

Dunwall

The main location of the game. It’s a Victorian style city littered with harbors, slums, rats, and criminals.
**Photo Credits:** https://dishonored.fandom.com

The people who hired the assassins have a vast amount of political power which they used to both place the hit on the empress and also keep their involvement hidden.

Corvo is thrown in jail, but as his execution day grows near, he is freed from prison by unknown allies. These allies know the truth about the assassination and wish to use Corvo to help them punish those who were responsible.

Photo Credits: https://dishonored.fandom.com

As you can see, the main storyline has very little to do with any form of magic (aside from the assassins.) Personally, I think this was a really good direction to take the game’s story in.

Almost every story that has magic in it makes it crucial to the plot, and honestly, I have no problem with that. Many of my favourite video games, movies, and anime do this very well.

Despite this, I find that Dishonored’s approach is not only unique, but utterly outstanding. Magic exists in this world, but it is a mysterious force that is underappreciated by most of the people of Dunwall.

There is so little information on the subject that many people either ignore it and focus on the problems at hand, or, in some cases, simply deny its existence altogether.

The way magic is presented in the story is through a character known as the Outsider. The Outsider exists in a place called “the Void,” an area outside of time and space. He can pull people into the void and bestow his mark onto them, granting them many bizarre abilities like teleportation and possession.

The Outsider pulls Corvo into the void near the start of the game and gives him his mark. Throughout the rest of the game, the Outsider occasionally pops in here and there and gives the player information about Dunwall and its people, as well as explains more about his mark.

The Outsider.jpg — The Outsider

He is neither friend or foe to Corvo. He simply wants to see something interesting happen.
**Photo Credits:** http://www.game-art-hq.com

To sum it all up, the Outsider and his goals are completely separate from Corvo and his ally’s goals. Magic and the Void come into play occasionally in the main story, but never to the point where it takes the spotlight. From a world building standpoint, this is excellent because it creates a layer of mystery for the player similar to the layer of mystery present for the characters.

Most of the people in Dunwall have little knowledge about the void, and neither do you! This layer of immersion couldn’t be achieved if the game developers took a different approach.

Even though later installments of Dishonored moved away from the politics and leaned more towards the magical aspects of the world, I still cling to the belief that the first game had the best story, and I wish more video games attempted mixing politics and magic.

Hunter Rogers-Millson

November 20, 2020

Cane: The Magical and Dangerous World of Winterspell

November 20, 2020/ Ashley Lalonde

Travelling through a fantasy world is exciting - I’ve had the privilege of visiting many amazing worlds in books! Sometimes I find myself drawn to reading more about the world than the story.

If a book has rich writing but a complicated plot, an interesting world could be enough to get me to turn the pages. This is the case with Winterspell, by American author Claire Legrand, a modern - and dark - retelling of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, by German author E. T. A. Hoffman.

A young girl named Marie Stahlbaum receives a Nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve, and enters into a world of battling mice and toy soldiers, attempting to stop the evil Mouse King. It’s such a magical story full of childhood wonder and adventure. This is why I was drawn to Legrand’s retelling of my favourite childhood fantasy book.

Come on, let's go to world of Winterspell to see magical faeries and mechanical creatures!

The Crooked City and the Faerie Land

map of cane created by Author and artist catherine scully. photo credit

From a corrupt world to one filled with danger, mystery, and magic - are you going to follow the Nutcracker to the war-torn land of Cane?

In my last post, A Guide to Building a Steampunk World, I said that 19th-century England is a classic setting found in steampunk literature. Legrand chose a different setting, the main character Clara lives in a corrupt, crime-ridden version of 19th-century New York.

Specifically, she lives in 1889, at a period in which poverty is very common in her home-world. When Clara is plunged into the Faerie Land, it’s clear that Cane and her home-world share something in common: the humans are suffering, and most of them aren't in power to bring change.

In Cane, humans are under the control of the faeries, who they never trusted and never understood. The effects of the war on the people are indeed explored upon in the world, from the way the humans are treated terribly to how mages - a completely different species in the Winterspell world - don't have any influence or power any more than the humans do.

The faeries don't seem benevolent because of the way they treat other races. Can they be trusted?

The Races Inhabiting Cane

A race of beautiful yet dangerous magical beings are in control of Cane - will you trust them or the "honest" Nutcracker?

Before the faeries took control of Cane, humans had social structure, courts, rules, laws, and monarchy, while the faeries didn’t.

Faeries, on the other hand, lived in forests, villages on the seaside, or in dark caves. These two races are entirely different, but they have their way of living and understanding the world. It’s a shame the humans and mages are now at the mercy of the faeries.

Cane's beautiful faeries love iron, too. Their magic revolves around the use of iron and mechanics, which is a completely different take on faerie lore in which iron repels them. Not all of the races use magic, but it certainly has a way of creeping into their lives.

Next are the mages, the subjects of humans, who do not rule and have no control or power. It's very different from most other works of fiction in which mages rule or have more influence than humans do.

Then we have the mechaniks, creatures made of metal and clockwork. If you could even call them creatures, these dangerous hunks of living metal spare no time in killing living things. Encountering these races in Cane could be good or bad, depending on how you see it.

Finding Your Way Home

After exploring Cane and encountering the races, it’s time to go home - will you remember the journey?

After falling in love with Cane, I return to it now and then to explore more about the world!

If you are interested in travelling to Cane, I suggest checking out Winterspell on Claire Legrand’s website.

You may discover more about Cane during your magical journey, or get inspired to write your own adventure into a fantasy steampunk world - either way, you won't be disappointed!

Ashley Lalonde

Ashley Lalonde is a student at Algonquin College. In her spare time, she enjoys watching Asian dramas, playing video games, and writing her own fanfiction and original stories.

November 17, 2020

Undertale: A World of Puns, Cute Dogs, and Judgement for your Sins

November 17, 2020/ ncln .

Undertale is a deceptively simple-looking RPG created by Toby Fox in 2015. The worldbuilding of Undertale expands beyond the world itself by directly including the player.

The main principle is this: your actions have consequences. Every playthrough you make of the game, even when you load a new save, remains canonically part of the story. Deciphering its history takes multiple playthroughs, and beneath the cutesy characters and charming pixel art style is a dark tale woven with bloodshed, banishment, and betrayal.

You begin by falling through a hole into the Underground, the subterranean realm where the monsters were banished after losing their war against the humans long ago. There are six distinct levels in the Underground.

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Ruins:

This is essentially the tutorial level, where you first find yourself after your fall. Toriel, a kind monster, instructs you to stay on the path and shows you how to show mercy to monsters you encounter. The fighting is turn-based and primitive, but with scarily realistic penalties.

Ruins is an odd place. You fall into a cluster of golden flowers. Red and auburn leaves are everywhere in small piles, though the only tree to be found is in front of Toriel’s home. Her house is warmly lit and pleasant, a place to pause and reflect before the onslaught of the remainder of the game. Though comfortable, it has an indiscernible eeriness. A child’s room without a child to occupy it. Locked doors. Mirrors that reflect you. A chained-off staircase.

But you press on.

Snowdin:

Snowdin is cold and icy, home to creatures who can bear it, like skeletons in hoodies and sweatered wolves. The vibe is anything but gloomy, though, with adorable dog bosses and snowball shenanigans. It has a shop, an inn, and even a diner where a certain someone might invite you for a date. There are many puns and clever easter eggs that don’t make sense on the first playthrough. Exploring the character’s houses sheds light on their quirky personalities. The further you progress, the more you notice the kind nature of these supposed monsters.

Oh yeah, and there’s a mysterious door that you can’t open.

Waterfall:

This level is dark, glowing with geodes and aquamarine torches, echo flowers and exotic fungi, waterfalls and glimmering pools. The soundtrack is tinkling and enigmatic. The deeper you delve into the game, the more evident it becomes that it’s absolutely chock-full of secrets. Before the room with dimming crystal lights is a difficult-to-find room known as Temmie village, a place which will surely give you a giggle. Again, there are houses you can explore and secrets you can discover – just not on the first playthrough. Either way, you’ll be enamored with the Ferry Dock, the River Person, and the Wishing Room.

You continue with determination.

Hotlands:

This is where things heat up and tension begins to build. The Hotlands are arid and punctuated by flowing lava. The lab you must pass through is home to a nerdy scientist who litters her space with comics and anime figurines. There are suspicious letters scattered over the floor, a hole in the wall she claims is the bathroom (it’s more horrific than a bathroom). Staying at the swanky MTT Resort, all golden tiles and flowing fountain and overwhelming sense of foreboding, you’ll sense the end is near. The world itself creates a sense of nervous anticipation with its sheer strangeness, with closed doors and puzzle pieces from previous levels finding their place.

You enter the elevator to the final level.

New Home:

Everything is grey, somber, and quiet. Long corridors occupy the foreground with a cityscape in the distance. Taking an inconspicuous path leads you to a room of coffins with a chilling secret. You encounter Asgore’s home, a grey mirror-image of Toriel’s. By contrast, the Last Corridor is bathed in yellow light that catches you off-guard (cue Megalomania; feel your heart drop). The Throne Room is a natural oasis, filled with greenery and yellow flowers. It is like being in the eye of a storm.

Undertale is one of the most atmospheric games I’ve ever played, proving that you can do so much with so little. It shows aspiring worldbuilders that tiny details and intricate connections are not to be overlooked, and that secrets only make the experience more rewarding for the person who uncovers them.

Nicoline

I’m a 22 y.o. mess in the Professional Writing program. I love video games, half-assed home exercise, and going for walks. Different universes have always been an escape for me, but what is it about a fictional world that submerges you so completely?

November 12, 2020

Creating Believable Conflict with Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator

November 12, 2020/ Lucas Mcbride

In my previous blog post, Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator: A World In Seconds, I talked about the many different features of Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator, and how they work together to randomly generate a world. Today I’ll be taking the world it created for me and utilizing the random information it has provided me to create a believable conflict.

Now obviously, there are many different types of conflict, but the most exciting one for me has always involved warfare! There is bloodshed in abundance in the world Azgaar has generated for me, but it hasn’t really given me a reason why these conflicts have started. Thankfully I, like every other world builder out there, can create stories out of nothing. To start, I picked one of the many wars currently being fought across the entire world: The Alestia-Urupenanian War.

This war sees the Kingdom of Alestia and its allies trying to subjugate the Kingdom of Urupenana. Much to the relief of Urupenana, Alestia’s allies are way too far away to involve themselves directly. It would appear the only reason they have declared war at all is to maintain their friendly stance with Alestia! It will be a head-on fight between these two regional powers, but why are they fighting at all?

Urupenanian Heraldry - taken from Azgaar’s fantasy map generator

Alestian Heraldry - taken from Azgaar’s fantasy map generator

screenshotted from Azgaar’s fantasy map generator

Light purple - astellian, salmon - Vengrianscreenshotted from azgaar’s fantasy map generator — Light purple - astellian, salmon - Vengrian
screenshotted from azgaar’s fantasy map generator

I first checked to see which cultures make up their kingdoms to see if there might be any tension there, and I found that they were both mostly Astellian - a culture based off of the real world Castillians. Though there was also a encroaching presence of the Vengrian (Hungarian) culture along both of the kingdom’s southern border, it was not enough for me to pin the conflict on it. I did note this information…just in case.

The next most likely point of tension between these kingdoms would be religion, but that was also not the case. In fact they follow the same “Astellian Forefathers” faith. An idea was starting to form in my head, and my excitement about this conflict grew! These nations were essentially brothers turned enemies, and for what reason - I did not know. Then, like the flick of a switch, I figured it out!

left - kingdom of Urupenana, right - kingdom of alestiascreenshotted from azgaar’s fantasy map generator — left - kingdom of Urupenana, right - kingdom of alestia
screenshotted from azgaar’s fantasy map generator

Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator generates a great many things, including things called “zones.” These are specific areas of interest with unique, and rather insightful, names. One of these zones involved the border provinces of the wars two belligerents Alestia and Urupenana. This zone was called “Alestian Subjugation.” Some might see the objective of conquest a rather simple reason to go to war, but in all honesty, this was an intricate and calculated move by Alestia to completely destroy the Kingdom of Urupenana!

By subjugating the border province of Arruma, the Kingdom of Alestia would show the unfriendly Vengrian neighbours of Urupenana that it was ready to fall. Alestia would gain land for itself, and divert the Vengrian’s attention away from their borders with Alestia’s allies. In essence, this one tiny province would create a power vacuum swallowing half of the world!

It all came down to the siege of Alluma, the capital city of the province. It was a bloody fight, and ended with the utter defeat of the Urupenanian garrison, and the subjugation of the region by the Kingdom of Alestia. What happens next is not entirely clear. Will the power vacuum send the rest of the region into conflict, or will it be spared the suffering it will bring?

Only time will tell…

Lucas McBride

Lucas is a student at Algonquin College. His favorite past times include playing tabletop RPGs, writing, and hosting virtual collaborative world building projects.

November 09, 2020

The Genius of One Piece's Geography

November 09, 2020/ Hunter Rogers-Millson

Eichero Oda’s One Piece is a fantastic work of fiction with colourful characters, an engaging plot, and most importantly, an incredibly well thought out world.

Introduction

Photo Credits: Christine Cox — Photo Credits: **Christine Cox**

The story is about a group of pirates who sail the treacherous Grand Line in search of the fabled treasure known as One Piece. The setting is a fictitious world made up of mostly water. I won’t go into too much detail about why a setting like this is genius because I already talked about it in my previous blog post (link at the end).

Basically, pirates need water to sail on. That much is obvious. Not only that, but the characters with special abilities are all weak to water, adding another layer to the plot and setting.

Lots of water isn’t the main reason why this setting is so great, though. No, the true genius of One Piece’s geography is shown in the way the various oceans and islands are organized in the world.

Before I go into detail about why the structure of this series’ world is genius, I will first outline the important aspects that shape it.

Aspects of One Piece’s World

The planet is one giant archipelago organized in chunks and sectioned off by stretches of ocean and mountain ranges. There are five primary sections of ocean in the series. The East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, South Blue, and the Grand Line.

The Grand Line is a thin stretch of ocean that wraps around the entire planet. It is a perilous bought of water and islands filled with the strongest pirate crews in the world.

Photo Credits: usmap.finansabi.com — Photo Credits: **usmap.finansabi.com**

On either side of the Grand Line lies the Calm Belts, two stretches of ocean that have no wind or currents and are home to a large number of dangerous creatures called sea kings. Sailing into the Calm Belts is nearly impossible.

Photo Credits: https://onepiece.fandom.com/

Perpendicular to the Grand Line is a mountain range called the Red Line. It stretches from the ocean floor, goes above the clouds, and also wraps completely around the world in a perfect circle.

Photo Credits: https://onepiecetheories.com/

The only way for most people to enter the Grand Line is by sailing up a river passage through one of the corners of the Red Line and the Grand Line.

Now that that’s out of the way, I can finally delve into why all of this is relevant.

Why These Aspects Are Genius

The driving force of the plot is the One Piece and the characters who wish to find it. The One Piece, of course, is located at the end of the Grand Line. Notice that I said “end,” meaning there is a start. There is a place where everyone must begin their journeys if they wish to discover the One Piece. There are no advantages (well, for the most part at least).

Photo Credit: https://onepiece.fandom.com/

The genius behind this is it creates a set path that the main cast MUST go on if they want to achieve their goals, and that path is filled with multiple challenges that cannot be avoided. And just because the path of the characters seems linear and basic, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

As I mentioned before, One Piece’s world is an archipelago, meaning it is a series of islands that pepper the landscape. These islands range in absurdity from a jungle landscape filled with dinosaurs to a floating island where it’s always daytime. On these islands, anything can happen, and nothing is off the table.

The diversity in these islands shows off the creativity that was put into the series and creates this layer of mystery that intrigues the reader into learning more about the world.

Eichero Oda has managed to take a spherical world and mold it into a straight line with a clear goal at the end all while keeping the adventure fresh and original. When writing a pirate adventure, doing something like this with the setting is not only crucial, but it is utterly impressive.

You can read One Piece here: https://www.viz.com/shonenjump

Check out my previous blog where I talk about One Piece here: http://spineonline.ca/orbis-aedificium/2020/9/24/the-best-examples-of-magic-systems-in-fiction

Hunter Rogers-Millson

November 06, 2020

Perfect Dystopian Worldbuilding - Delirium

November 06, 2020/ ncln .

Our lives revolve around love, connection to one another, emotion. But what if you lived in a world where love was considered a disease?

Delirium, by Lauren Oliver, is the first in a trilogy about a girl growing up controlled by the idea that love – Amor deliria nervosa – is a disease, and an infectious one at that. The story of Lena, Alex, and Hana is gripping, heartbreaking, and incredibly moving, but it’s impossible to ignore the incredible world it’s set in.

Portland, Maine, 2091. Americans live in areas untouched by the bombings decades earlier. Life is fraught with tension – electric fences separate the cities from the Wilds – unregulated land – and inter-city travel is restricted. Feeling the wrong way can get you hurt. Contact between people is monitored. Music, books, movies – all entertainment is regulated. All exist in fear of deliria. Not to worry, though, the government has developed a surgical cure – similar to a lobotomy, everyone is required to undergo the infamous procedure at eighteen.

Why go through all this trouble?

People believe love is the cause of all problems in society – wars are fought out of love, order is disrupted because of love, otherwise mild-mannered citizens do the unthinkable when they catch love. The Cure doesn’t just prevent love – it dulls passionate emotions, which are all just different shades of love. And when people can’t be passionate, they can be controlled.

The phones are tapped, eyes are everywhere. People’s entire lives are planned out for them – their husband or wife (homosexuality isn’t permitted), their job, how many children they can have.

What about those who resist?

Alex is such a person. He is an Invalid, as in not-valid, someone who hasn’t gotten the Cure and lives in the Wilds. He is part of a group of resistors who aim to infiltrate and destroy this oppressive, totalitarian way of life. This path is a difficult one fraught with mortal peril, and made harder by the fact that the people being oppressed are so brainwashed by anti-love propaganda that even they try to stop them. Living in the Wilds means living in ashes. It means living with the constant threat of discovery, and death.

The beauty of this world carefully built by Lauren Oliver is the possibilities it creates. It allows us to explore the intricacies of human connection, the reason we risk everything over love. The best part is: it convinces us, just a little bit, that love is a disease, that things would be so much simpler without it. It lets us step back and wonder why we willingly endure so much pain for a scrap of love. It echoes of Romeo and Juliet and the myths of Helen of Troy – battles waged for love, death for love, any price for love.

We get to watch from Lena’s perspective as her character shifts from being a strict follower – and believer – of the laws, to getting a taste of love and wondering how she ever lived without it. We watch with heartbreak as she loses people, both to death and to the Cure – reduced to mindless zombies. Sometimes she catches a flicker of who they once were, and we are reminded once again the extent of which our lives are defined by who we love, our passions, our anger.

The world of Delirium, from the streets of futuristic Portland to the obliterated Wilds, is tactfully unfolded through the eyes of the characters living it. This sort of futuristic worldbuilding that grants such exploration of the human condition is rare, but wonderful.

I encourage you to check it out. Download the e-book here.

Nicoline A.

November 05, 2020

A Guide to Building a Steampunk World

November 05, 2020/ Ashley Lalonde

What is Steampunk, You Ask?

The concept behind steampunk is a modern or futuristic technology with an old-fashioned industrial twist. Specifically, it focuses on the style of the 1800s and Victorian aesthetics. It portrays an alternate history/timeline that demonstrates how technology would have evolved from an industrial era if major electrical advancements had not been made, sending us to an age where machines are still mechanically powered by driving forces such as steam.

It is this concept of an alternate history of gears, flying airships, and steam-powered machines that is so compelling to so many fans of this genre.

But because it is such a highly visual genre, it can be hard to build a steampunk world for your story. Luckily, this guide is targeted at those who want to write their own steampunk novel but do not know how to create a fleshed-out, believable world.

Which Era is Right For Your World?

First things first, when you consider the era, the setting in which you want your steampunk world to take place, 19th-century Victorian England is a classic example of a good setting.

The Victorian era may have been a very progressive time, but it had issues of its own. It had poverty, murder, crime, racism, and discrimination. All of these things need to be considered when creating a world with this kind of setting. Visit the English Heritage site here to read more about Victorian England.

The American West is another good setting. For those who like steampunk technology and aesthetics and the dangerous and violent but fascinating environment and history of the American West, this rich and interesting period might be the right one for your world. For more information on various aspects of the American West, see this archive.

Making a world where magic is outlawed and science reigns supreme could be interesting, but how science and magic have an impact on an era like Victorian England or the American West is important to consider.

Why Research the Era?

Doing research doesn't sound as fun as writing it, but it's necessary to make sure your world is well-developed.

If you don’t understand the era in which your world is taking place, it may leave it feeling flat. I’ve run into that problem myself, so I recommend researching the era that is being explored to create a convincing world that can appeal to your audience.

For example, if you want your steampunk world set in the 19th century Victorian England to be realistic and you want to include an event that happened during that time, make sure the event you're depicting doesn’t have any inaccuracies in it.

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How Will the Economy and Political System Work?

It helps to have some knowledge of what the era was like and how society operated during that period. For an alternate history with steam-powered technology to work, you need to understand economics and politics in that time.

You can ask questions, take notes, and think about how society worked in the era you're writing about, and see how you can apply what you've learned into your world.

What Technology Will Your World Have?

Technology isn't supposed to be your main focus when building your world, but its role in the genre is essential. There are several obvious examples, such as an airship-something that I have been guilty of using too much of in my own work.

The steampunk technology should impact the people and cultures that exist in your world, rather than just being something that you simply put into it without putting thought into why that technology exists.

In a previous post, I stated that you need to think about the people who live in your world. Why are the people living in your world using the technology they have invented? Will some people be happier without that technology, or is it somehow needed for their society to function? Have they been forced to adapt to advanced technologies by a higher authority, or are inventors chosen to advance and improve society?

Taking the time to build a few explanations for what kind of technology exists in your world and why the people use it can make the world come alive.

A Challenging, But Exciting Experience

Building your first steampunk world is going to be an exciting and challenging experience, but hopefully, with the help of this guide, you have at least got a rough idea of what to expect and how to plan.

Ashley Lalonde

Ashley Lalonde is a student at Algonquin College. In her spare time, she enjoys watching Asian dramas, playing video games, and writing her own fanfiction and original stories.

November 03, 2020

Where in the WORLD are we?

November 03, 2020/ Marsha Masseau

Being Canadian is a huge part of my identity – I have a major case of national pride! I’m of mixed descent, French and Algonquin, which means a lot to me too. I’m ecstatic when I see these represented on television.

Some great shows have come over the Canadian airwaves with a distinct feeling – apart from character development and plot– that I attribute to the production’s WORLDBUILDING.

Many of the successful TV series I’ve watched feature regional culture in a way that makes it as concrete as the local geography. The combination makes it tangibly Canadian.

One of my TOP 5 all-time favourite worlds, mentioned in an earlier post, is Anne of Green Gables. Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved Anne series was the inspiration for Kevin Sullivan’s TV mini-series and Road to Avonlea and, more recently, in the CBC’s Anne with an E.

The new series portrays a gritty, dark side to Anne’s world that I’m not keen on. The idealism is lost and, in its place, the stark reality of what may be more accurate to life but not in keeping with Montgomery’s vision.

That said, Anne with an E has a vivid world with the lush countryside of Prince Edward Island, historic homes and turn of the century prejudices – it’s a great example of worldbuilding done well with a Canadian feel.

Phot credit: www.facebook.com/annetheseriesca/photos/

A stone’s throw from Avonlea, PEI, but in an entirely different dimension, is fictional Sunnyvale Trailer Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia – the home of the infamous Trailer Park Boys. A wildly popular production that began as a movie aired at the Atlantic Film Festival and skyrocketed into a twelve season TV series with spin-offs.

Most of the episode’s mock life in the trailer park, and great props, from beater cars to piss jugs, make this world rich. Aerial views depicting rows of trailers shape it into a community, and the non-stop profanity adds a whole fucking lot to the worldbuilding of this show.

Photo credits: www.trailerparkboys.com, www.cornergas.com, www.imbd.com/title/tt0106087, www.degrassi.tv

A few provinces over and “40 kilometres from nowhere,” is Corner Gas. The show focuses on a 50s diner and gas station with an attached convenience store in the fictional town of Dog River, Saskatchewan. A sitcom, movie and animated series centred around “The Ruby Café,” the store and wide-open spaces have made this world an icon of the prairies.

To the north, in fictional Lynx River, Northwest Territories, snowmobile riding police officers solve crimes out of a log cabin in the series North of Sixty. Those details virtually scream Canada! The show has been off the air for a couple of decades. However, the complete series is re-airing on APTN. Recently the cast had a virtual reunion! I wonder if there’ll be a reboot or a sixth made for TV movie?

I grew up on the award-winning series Degrassi. Considering it ran from 1989 to 2017, many others have too. Junior High and High School are universes of their own, and they became distilled versions in this long-running drama. The fictional Toronto schools made up the bulk of this ultra-relatable world.

Programs, like Murdoch Mysteries set in early 1900s Toronto, announce they’re in Canada in the first episode. Others like the award-winning sitcom, Schitt’s Creek, wait until the third season to hint – using vistas of open fields and country roads and name-dropping home-grown celebrities. If Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara as Johnny and Moira Rose don’t bring Canada to mind, then places like “The Blouse Barn” and “Bob’s Garage” will inspire a small-town Ontario feeling.

Keeping the Rose’s world small at first and allowing it to broaden later was a brilliant example of using WORLDBUILDING as a tool. In the beginning, a motel was the extent of the Rose’s world but as the characters evolved – so did their world.

What makes a show feel Canadian to you – the set, cast, dialogue? Something else?

Marsha Masseau

October 24, 2020

Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator: A World in Seconds

October 24, 2020/ Lucas Mcbride

Every world created started out as nothing but a vague image in somebody’s mind. The problem has always been taking that image and making it a reality.

I’ve only just dipped my toe into the art of world building, and I can see now that it’s a lot harder than some make it out to be. I found that I couldn’t keep track of the details of the world I wanted to build, and there was no single place that was easy for me to start from. That’s when I found something called Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator.

An open-source tool that takes the stress out of world building and leaves you with nothing but fun!

The first thing it did for me was limit what detail I could provide for the basic generation of my world. Instead of feeling restricted by it, I was relieved! I didn’t have to flesh out every single part of my world at the beginning like I thought I did. I was creating a foundation for things to build off of. The details would come later.

A single click was all it took for the world to blossom, and suddenly it was there in front of me! It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but it was something. It was kind of overwhelming how much detail there was. I glanced at the layers I could filter through and realized that this generator did more than make a map. It was still a lot think about, so I decided hide all of the layers and go through them one at a time.

I spent the most time getting to know the different states that inhabit my world. Each one was unique in geography, culture, size, influence…truly the list goes on! There was so much detail to each state that they already felt alive. All I had to do was tweak things to make them exactly how I wanted them.

Until this point I had looked upon the world I had created from a birds eye view. It was great to see the scale of it all, but I wanted to connect with the world. I wanted to see how deep this miracle generator went.

So I zoomed in…

I zoomed until all I could see was the capital city of the Rurian Empire: Karmome. I saw roads leading from it to other cities, and could imagine being there in that tiny bit of land…unaware of the size of everything around me. Karmome was small for a capital, but it was pretty far north - where most of the people lived and thrived in the country. I laughed and smiled at this small detail because it meant that the size of the capital, at least in this instance, reflected the culture of the peoples who lived there!

I spent a lot of time smiling like I did in that moment. I can see now how exciting world building can be! The generated didn’t do the work for me, but it has given me a platform to create exactly what I want. It has been my saving grace.

There is still a lot of work to do in this virtual world of mine before it is completed. That’s the beauty of it though. I have something to write about – something to build up and call my own. I haven’t felt pride in my work for a very long time, but Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator gives me the feeling that I will find that pride soon!

Screenshot from within Azgaar’s Map Generator

Lucas McBride

Lucas is a student at Algonquin College. His favorite past times include playing tabletop RPGs, writing, and hosting virtual collaborative world building projects.

October 20, 2020

A Skyrim Travel Guide

October 20, 2020/ ncln .

If you feel like taking a break from the main quest, why not visit some of the fascinating locations Skyrim has to offer? In no particular order, here are a few of my favorites:

1. Markarth

Markarth is widely known as being one of Skyrim’s nine major cities, split by a river and built around the intricate drops and waterfalls. Formerly a Dwarven city, it has some incredible architecture, and challenging side quests you can undertake involving the infamous Silver-bloods family. Visit the Dwemer museum to learn a thing or two from the intriguing ancient civilization. If you take a liking to the bulky, functional architecture, you can even purchase a house in Markarth with a stunning view.

2. Throat of the World

The highest mountain in Tamriel, rich with lore and mystery, the Throat of the World is bound to astound you. People travel from across the land to behold its majesty, climbing the Seven Thousand Steps to the ancient monastery of High Hrothgar. There, the enigmatic Greybeards dwell in complete silence in their mission to become attuned to the Voice of the Sky. Just don’t run into any dragons.

3. Blackreach

If you enjoyed the Dwemer museum, you’ll like the Dwarven ruins of Blackreach. Aglow with bioluminescence and towering fungi, this is a truly mesmerizing location. Flog and floating spores permeate the air, and you feel almost underwater. Veins of geodes spread between pools of blue water. Make it through the puzzles and unlock Dwemer mechanisms and there just might be an Elder Scroll in it for you...

4. Ancestor Glade

Located high in the mountains, an oasis of green pierced by pillars of light, the Ancestor Glade is fiercely protected by three Spriggan Earth Mothers. If you don’t die, scavenge for some of the many plants that grow in the area, and gather some Canticle bark. Take a dip in the shallow waters and the hot springs. There are many valuable items to be obtained here: Ancestor Moths, soul gems, a rainbow bow, and another Scroll. This area is challenging but highly rewarding.

5. Forgotten Vale

A vast glacial valley tucked behind Skyrim’s peaks, the Forgotten Vale should not be, well, forgotten. You feel uniquely isolated due to the towering walls of icy mountain around you. It’s a great place to find special Wayshrines: huge, dome-like structures made by Snow Elves long ago. Besides looking super cool, Wayshrines are also a way of fast-travelling. Here, the Wayshrines of Resolution, Illumination, Sight, and Radiance can grant you even more.

These are just a handful of magical, wondrous places there are to explore in Skyrim. It’s freeing to take a breath and wander the game like a tourist or an explorer. The amount of detail and the hundreds of minute storylines all woven together is an example of amazing worldbuilding.

New to Skyrim? You can experience Skyrim with enhanced graphics by purchasing it here.

Nicoline A.

October 16, 2020

5 Worldbuilding Tips for Writers Getting Started

October 16, 2020/ Ashley Lalonde

Worldbuilding is a very important process for creating and telling a story—particularly in science fiction and fantasy—but writing the first one isn't easy or simple.

It's a process that can be daunting, and as a writer who can relate to dealing with creating worlds from scratch, I think this process can be very difficult. If you are looking to develop a new world for your next epic fantasy book or want to build one for your next D&D session, here are five tips to help you get started.

1) Building Your Foundation

Ask yourself a simple question: where is your world set? Is it set in the wild west with gun-toting desperados, and bounty hunters chasing down outlaws, or an unsightly, dangerous place full of demons and the undead?

If you look at the world of Harry Potter, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a boarding school of magic for training witches and wizards, which has interesting places to visit and secrets to uncover.

Intriguing places to explore could make your world feel larger and more expansive. Once you have your answer, think about the people that inhabit it.

2) Understanding the Basics

Think about the basics: how do people get food in your world, and where is the food found? What about transportation and trade, how do those work? What about the need for shelter?

Basic essentials are the core part of any world. Some of these essentials are food sources, water sources, transportation, trade, commerce, and law.

These are obvious—we need food to survive and trade to thrive in real life. Think about the necessities and resources we need to survive in our society, then put those into your own.

3) Diving Deeper into Immersion

Think about how immersive you want your world to be.

You decide whether it should be an expansive fantasy-like realm with plenty of secrets and dangers and wonders, or a post-apocalyptic wasteland with all the trappings of war and survival.

For example, if a country is at war, think about how the war impacts the people of that country, the economy, government, security forces, and even the neighbouring countries. Things like this can impact the degree of immersion and make your world feel more alive.

4) Adding Cultures and Mythology

Do you see your world as being divided into many separate cultures? If so, are there differences between cultures, and are there ever conflicts between cultures and religions?

Are there myths and legends, and if so, do some cultures share similar beliefs or different ones?

Various cultures with similar or different beliefs can enrich your world and make it more interesting.

5) Keep at It

Don’t get discouraged if the world you want to make has already been done before—you can always add your own spin to it. If you have an idea for one, go ahead and make it.

Don't worry about whether it's good or bad. Every writer takes inspiration from every other writer. The one you create will be different because it will be your own. If you still need some support in building one, there's a worldbuilding questionnaire that goes more in depth about it, and it's free. Find out more here.

Ashley Lalonde

Ashley Lalonde is a student at Algonquin College. In her spare time, she enjoys watching Asian dramas, playing video games, and writing her own fanfiction and original stories.

October 12, 2020

The Dos and Don’ts of the Wheel of Time

October 12, 2020/ Shane McIntosh

Wheel of time logo (sourced from Tor.com)

Author Robert Jordan, Real Name James Oliver Rigney (Sourced from Goodreads.com)

Art from the Final book (source from Tor.com)

THE BAD

Geography

Distance is always a big problem in worldbuilding, and sometimes maps can make things worse. This map is an example of how distance feels inconsistent.

On the map to the right, the black line takes 16 days for two people on a straight road. However, the red only takes 20 days despite being twice as long and over hills and forests. The blue line has over a dozen people traveling it but only takes 8 days. (These times are a mix of my own reading and this in-depth guide.)

The problem with distance issues is they serve to make the world feel small and scale difficult to identify. It’s important to try and keep world distance consistent to keep the size and scale of the world the same.

Religion

For most people and cultures throughout history and the present, religion is a prevalent and important part. The Wheel of Time’s world has no religion, and almost everyone accepts the same God and Devil. In this world, while there is a “Devil” (Dark One) and a “God” (Creator), there are no organized religions, no places of worship, not even prayer. Religion is a key part of making a world and is an area WoT severely lacks.

Language

The most egregious example of The Wheel of Time’s worldbuilding problem is its language. While its geography can be forgiven and its lack of religion can be somewhat excused for its God and Devil being real, language is a huge issue with WoT worldbuilding. Everyone, even people separated by an ocean for thousands of years, ALL speak the same language. A world doesn't need to go so far as Lord of the Rings, in making a whole new language, but should have SOME diversity in language.

The Wheel of Time has such well developed and explored cultures and peoples, but it creates a juxtaposition that highlights the lack of language or religion. Much of the story is about traveling across the story’s world and its inconsistency with distance and geography subtracts from both the plot and the worldbuilding. The Wheel of Time’s world still has many virtues and intricacies, but sometimes its superb worldbuilding makes its negative qualities all the more apparent.

The Wheel of Time (WoT) is a long, sprawling epic, written across fourteen books and two authors. There are almost four and a half million words in the series, and a good number goes to building its world and making it feel real, but there are things that work and things that don’t in the Wheel of Time. The parts that work can make the world feel alive, but the pieces it lacks can draw a reader out of the book’s universe. What works in the Wheel of Time, and what doesn’t?

A major issue when looking over the Wheel of Time is it has two authors. The original author, Robert Jordan (real name James Rigney) passed away in 2007 before the series was finished. Another author, fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, was given the chance to finish the series and wrote the last three books. While Sanderson tried his best to keep Jordan’s same style of writing, there are differences in characters, themes, and of course, worldbuilding. For the purpose of examining the quality of the Wheel of Time’s worldbuilding, I'll be ignoring the last books written by Sanderson and focus on the creative core of the series written by Jordan.

THE GOOD

Magic system

The magic system, called “Channeling”, fits well with both the world and story. It works because it has clear and concise rules the story never breaks, and the magic is central to both the world and the plot. WoT’s “Channeling” is one of the best examples of how to write a magic system to fit a world.

Cultures and Diversity of People

For every nation or culture the plot takes the reader through, each is richly detailed and described, from the clothes and architecture, to customs and politics. The world and each land’s history is just as richly explored as their culture. Jordan makes a place feel real and truly builds a world in WoT’s story.

(orginial map sourced from deviantart, but the map is present at the beggining of each book) — (orginial map sourced from here, but the map is present at the beggining of each book)

Symbol of the "Whitecloaks”, a kind of inquisition, despite religion not existing (sourced from here, but is part of the books)

Shane McIntosh

Shane is the name, and worldbuilding is my game. I’m a 21 year old book nerd that lives off cheap food and fantasy novels. I explore the world of fantasy from its architecture to its religion. What works and what doesn’t? I’m here to try and figure it out.

October 08, 2020

What Makes a Magic System Great?

October 08, 2020/ Hunter Rogers-Millson

Magic is a familiar concept for any fan of the fantasy genre, and here I will explore some of the best examples of a magic system in fiction. I will be looking at three works of fiction that each highlight an important aspect of any magic system: weakness, theme, and structure. Each of these systems is well crafted and shows how magic can help any fictional world feel complete.

Weakness is a Good Thing

Photo Credits: http://onepiecegold.altervista.org/devil-fruits-explained/ — Photo Credits:
http://onepiecegold.altervista.org/devil-fruits-explained/

My first example is a magic system that perfectly melds with its world through the use of weakness. Weakness is crucial in magic as it humanizes the characters that use it, but more importantly, it helps raise the stakes in many situations, making the overall story more entertaining. No story handles this concept better than One Piece.

The primary magic system in One Piece revolves around a mysterious food called devil fruits. Eat one, and you gain a bizarre ability, like turning into rubber or turning into an ox, but this comes at a price; you lose your ability to swim.

This may not be a big deal to most people, but One Piece is a story about pirates who sail the waters of the Grand Line in search of treasure. One Piece’s world is also a giant archipelago with well over eighty percent of the planet covered in water. The characters in this world have to think twice before they chomp down on a devil fruit. The powers might be incredible, but would you really want water, the very thing that surrounds you, the very thing that is crucial to your success as a pirate to also be your greatest weakness?

A System That Reflects Its World

Photo Credit:hostilehippo.deviantart.com — Photo Credit:
hostilehippo.deviantart.com

Some power systems reflect the world they belong to excellently showing off its greatest wonders as well as its darkest flaws. The video game Bioshock does this especially well.

The game is set in 1960 in Rapture, an underwater city created to escape the restrictive governments of the surface world. The city’s founder, Andrew Ryan, believed that no person should be bound by law or morality, so he created a utopia where scientific advancements can be made without question.

Bioshock’s magic system, called “plasmids,” paints a perfect picture of how this philosophy is both prosperous and flawed. Plasmids are made from a drug called ADAM which allows a person to gain a multitude of abilities.

ADAM, however, is very addicting, and the citizens of Rapture were desperate for it. Having an underwater city filled with desperate drug addicts with superpowers promptly led to the fall of Rapture, showing that some scientific advancements should be questioned.

The Beauty of Complexity

Photo Credits:images1.wikia.nocookie.net — Photo Credits:
images1.wikia.nocookie.net

Finally, the last power system I will be showcasing, and arguably the best one, is Nen from the Manga Hunter x Hunter. Nen is an aura-based power system that grants its users abilities that pertain to their specific “Nen type.” A Nen user is born into one of six categories; enhancer, emitter, transmuter, manipulator, conjuror, and specialist.

The things Nen users can do with their aura are restricted by these categories. For example, a manipulator cannot use transmuter techniques at all and can only use other techniques at a reduced level of strength.

The complexity of Nen is interesting, but its condition based rules are where it’s true genius shines. In order to make a Nen ability exponentially stronger, a Nen user must restrict themselves. For example, one ability allows the user to summon a tsunami, but he can only do so when it’s raining. The concept of restrictions is genius because it forces the abilities in the series to be creative and doesn’t allow any ability to be too overpowered.

Those three series are all excellent examples of what makes a magic system great and should be analyzed by any aspiring writer who wishes to dive into the fantasy genre.

You can read One Piece and Hunter x Hunter here: https://www.viz.com/shonenjump

You can purchase Bioshock here: https://store.steampowered.com/

Hunter Rogers-Millson

October 04, 2020

My TOP 5 all-time favourite worlds & why you should love them too!

October 04, 2020/ Marsha Masseau

It’s no secret that I’m a nut for awesome fictional worlds. Some of my favourites aren’t far off of reality, but they exist in a different sphere than everyday life and have the power to suck me right in.

It was a challenge sticking to five here because, let’s face it, there are scads of epic worlds that deserve a mention.

What made it to my TOP 5? Repeat customers!

I’ve either read or watched these multiple times; their worlds are so compelling to me. If you aren’t familiar with them, you might want to cancel plans and give these a peek:

5) Halt and Catch Fire: they had me at “Welcome to Mutiny”

photo credit: © AMC Film Holdings LLC. creator: Frank Ockenfels — photo credit: © AMC Film Holdings LLC. creator: Frank Ockenfels

An AMC show set around technology in the 80s. The wardrobe, pacing and dialogue convinced me I was there. It was specifically the white-sided house used for “Mutiny” that locked me to the screen. Why? I wanted to work at a dysfunctional place like that – a gang of creative forward-thinkers changing the world, making video games, and drinking on the job!

Why you should love it: it will help you appreciate your world that, hopefully, is less chaotic than this one.

4) A Company of (Shakespearean) Fools: community theatre at its funniest

photo credit: © 2017 Andrew Alexander via Company of Fools Facebook page

The world of Shakespeare can be severe. Most of his plays are tragedies, but the Ottawa based theatre company has lightened the tone. Their productions have become an anticipated summer event; I’ve seen a half dozen of their shows. Worldbuilding in theatre is done with sets, but also with the imagination of the audience. These plays take on a life beyond the stage; they become mammoth, in the mind.

Why you should love it: it’s affordable, and your imagination will thank you!

Find out more here.

3) Anne of Green Gables: it’s not all about Anne

Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, is a dream: a lovable dream. I’ve read everything Lucy Maude Montgomery has written – the whole Anne series more than once (okay, more than twice.) It was one of the first stories I read as a kid. I’ve spent hours since daydreaming about walking through the streets of Avonlea, having tea at the White Sands Hotel and chatting with a kindred spirit. It’s one of the most comforting worlds I’ve yet to discover.

Why you should love it:

it will make you feel good. I mean, really good (especially on a sick day).

2) Karen Marie Moning’s Fever Series: something’s askew in Dublin...

An Urban Fantasy set in the same world as Moning’s Highlander series. Although, things get ... paranormal: with humans, Druids, Fae, and other creatures. I wouldn’t enjoy literally being in this world, but I couldn’t put the books down. The landscape shifted, dark forces loomed, characters morphed on the page, and somehow it kept being Dublin, Ireland. I like how the author did that.

Why you should love it: you may realize, as the heroine did, that you have more power over your world than you thought.

1) Star Trek: engage!

I’m addicted to this world. My friends and I piled on the couch to watch The Next Generation, with our eyes bugged out on aliens. I watched through most of the franchise and went to all the movies. I can’t get enough of a world with countless planets and lifeforms to potentially get to know –or start a war with. Part of me wants to fight in the Bajoran resistance, even speak to the prophets.

Why you should love it: if you don’t already love Star Trek, I have no words.

Now you know my all-time favs: what makes it onto your TOP 5,

and why should I love them?

Orbis Aedificium

AVATAR: The Last Airbender — versus — BATMAN: The Animated Series

AVATAR: The Last Airbender — defended by Ashley!

BATMAN: The Animated Series — defended by Marsha!

What do you think, readers — is there a clear champion?

Ashley Lalonde

Marsha Masseau

Nicoline A.

The king of horror says radio is a great medium for terror!

Stephen King novels adapted for radio!

Try these radio plays!

Stations don’t broadcast radio drama’s as regular features anymore, but they’re still around.

Confession time

Hey constant reader! What’s your dial set to?

Marsha Masseau

Life on Berk: Before and After Dragons Moved In

"This is Berk. It's twelve days North of hopeless, and a few degrees South of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the Meridian of Misery.” - Hiccup, How To Train Your Dragon

Dragon Utopia and the Hidden World

We’ve travelled so far, we've seen so much. Will you return to the world of HTTYD again someday?

Ashley Lalonde

Prison

Skyscraper

Jungle

Hunter Rogers-Millson

The blaze got to me on a deeper level in the Fever series.

Sex is a huge part of this world, but so is survival. Fighting for life is primal, and this series is on fire with primal energy!

Kingdom of Shadow and Light – coming 23 February 2021

Hey, KMM fans! Are you as psyched as I am for the next installment?

Marsha Masseau

Hunter Rogers-Millson

The Crooked City and the Faerie Land

From a corrupt world to one filled with danger, mystery, and magic - are you going to follow the Nutcracker to the war-torn land of Cane?

The Races Inhabiting Cane

A race of beautiful yet dangerous magical beings are in control of Cane - will you trust them or the "honest" Nutcracker?

Finding Your Way Home

After exploring Cane and encountering the races, it’s time to go home - will you remember the journey?

Ashley Lalonde

Ruins:

Snowdin:

Waterfall:

Hotlands:

New Home:

Nicoline

Lucas McBride

Introduction

Aspects of One Piece’s World

Why These Aspects Are Genius

Hunter Rogers-Millson

Our lives revolve around love, connection to one another, emotion. But what if you lived in a world where love was considered a disease?

Why go through all this trouble?

What about those who resist?

Nicoline A.

What is Steampunk, You Ask?

Which Era is Right For Your World?

Why Research the Era?

How Will the Economy and Political System Work?

What Technology Will Your World Have?

A Challenging, But Exciting Experience

Ashley Lalonde

What makes a show feel Canadian to you – the set, cast, dialogue? Something else?

Marsha Masseau

An open-source tool that takes the stress out of world building and leaves you with nothing but fun!

Lucas McBride

Nicoline A.

1) Building Your Foundation

2) Understanding the Basics

3) Diving Deeper into Immersion

4) Adding Cultures and Mythology

5) Keep at It

Ashley Lalonde

THE BAD

THE GOOD

Shane McIntosh

Weakness is a Good Thing

A System That Reflects Its World

The Beauty of Complexity

Hunter Rogers-Millson

5) Halt and Catch Fire: they had me at “Welcome to Mutiny”

4) A Company of (Shakespearean) Fools: community theatre at its funniest

3) Anne of Green Gables: it’s not all about Anne